Ask anyone in the streets who the Massachusetts candidates for U.S. Senate are, and you'll likely get this response: Elizabeth Warren and Scott Brown.

Brown, of course, is the Republican freshman senator serving the remainder of Teddy Kennedy's term who is now making his first full bid for the job. And Warren, of course, is the newly minted darling of the Democratic Party, a Harvard law professor and Obama confidante whose national stature continues to skyrocket.

But, before Warren sets her sights exclusively on Brown, she still must knock off two Democrats to secure her spot on the general election ballot against the incumbent senator.

It's no fault of DeFranco or King that they're taking on Warren, a favorite of the party's liberal wing and a candidate whose fundraising prowess has defied conventional political wisdom.

Recently released Federal Election Commission data show that Warren collected $8.9 million in contributions in less than five months last year, while Brown collected just $8.6 million for all of 2011. While Brown's total is nothing to sneeze at, some have wondered how much money Warren might have raised over those additional seven months. Warren already has spent about $2.8 million, with about $6.1 million remaining by the end of last year.

James King

Despite the improbability of either DeFranco or King posing any sort of eleventh-hour threat to Warren, the pair, who together seem downright chummy, appear to enjoy reminding people that they're still in the primary race, which won't be decided until September.

Here are some highlights from an NPR piece by Monica Brady-Myerov (click HERE to read the entire article):

"We'd love to have Elizabeth Warren here and in other forums in the future," King said (after Warren failed to show for a recent election forum at Boston Latin Academy).

"That way, we can articulate our individual positions on the issues that are important in this campaign. And, I think, hopefully you and I can be successful in getting that done."

DeFranco chimed in: "But if not, we're a pretty good show on our own, right, Jim?"

"That's right, that's right," King nodded.

And that's what they've become — a show on their own. Warren has been a no-show at five candidate forums held by Democratic town committees since she declared in mid-September. Two towns canceled their events after Warren declined to take part. There's one Thursday night in Maynard that Warren's campaign says she can't attend because of scheduling.

Because Warren is a virtual shoo-in to run against Brown, some have hurled the "E word" at her. "Elitist" or not, she's widely considered to be a bright light in a diminished Democratic Party.

Republicans pounced at the chance to capitalize on an internecine Democratic Party skirmish when the leader of Maynard's local party leveled the elitist charge at Warren. Maura Flynn, chair of the town's Democratic Committee, accused Warren of being “too good for everybody” for repeatedly skipping events with DeFranco and King.

Alleigh Marré, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Republican Party, said the criticism was proof that even some fellow Democrats feel Warren "thinks she is smarter and better than everyone else."

During a recent appearance on the "Daily Show" with John Stewart, Warren was anything but elitist, joking with the comedian and showing a side that seemed to belie the egg-headed, policy wonk stereotype.